Farmers resist Shell Oil

5 Mayo men have been jailed by the High Court in Dublin.

Their crime was to resist Shell Oil by not allowing company employees to fence off their land. In preparation for the digging and laying of a new gas pipe line planned through the area. The dispute is taking place in an area of Co Mayo called Erris, which is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and rugged unspoilt beauty.

Background to the controversy

Several years ago Shell Oil was granted a licence by the Irish State to explore for oil and gas fields off our Atlantic seaboard. They discovered a huge pocket of natural gas under the ocean floor, which they called the Corrib field, which has the potential to supply thousands of homes in Ireland with a source of heating and cooking fuel.

Problems began, however, when Shell Oil began proposing to build a refinery almost 9 miles inland in Co. Mayo to process the gas. This type of project has never been tried before and Shell was initially refused planning permission. Shell then began to lobby the Government who eventually made a deal. Shell will pay 25% in corporation tax to the Government and will be free to keep 75% profits for themselves

Shell's Gas Development has succeeded in dividing the local community, which lies within the North Mayo Gaeltacht. The majority of landowners have accepted Shell's generous compensation package and have been persuaded by the promise of extra jobs in an area beset by unemployment.

Landowners fear pipeline risk

The landowners who are resisting Shell Oil's plans have refused any compensation and said they will leave their homes rather than risk a possible accident. They stated they don't feel safe living so close to the proposed pipeline, which will pump gas to the inland terminal at very high pressure. They also don't want to see their local environment scarred by such a major development. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of bog and land will be dug up to lay the pipeline.

The landowners don't believe that the proposed Corrib gas pipeline is worth the risk to their families or the damage to the land no matter how much money they are promised by Shell. This is clearly why they have been prepared to go to jail even though they are not criminals. Rather than protect these citizens, the State has sided with Shell Oil who are primarily concerned with making big profits.

Shell Oil has shown little concern for the rights of native people or the environment in other parts of the world such as Nigeria, where they have been operating for decades.

The families of Rossport are not attempting to block Shell Oil's plans to exploit the Corrib gas. They and their supporters are seeking for the gas to be refined out to sea or on an uninhabited offshore island, away from local homesteads.

People power their final hope

Several protests have already been held in Galway and Dublin in support of the jailed Mayo men and many have travelled down to Rossport, Co. Mayo to join the blockade to stop Shell workers carrying out any further work. Many of these people have never met the landowners in question but feel they are suffering an injustice. Other people have been calling up their local TDs and calling for the jailed men to be released

If the Shell Oil Company succeed in having their gas pipeline and terminal built against the wishes and genuine concerns of local landowners and refuse to make alternative plans to refine the gas out to sea then a major question has to be asked. On whose behalf is the government of Ireland really managing our country?

By Keith Corcoran